Here’s the summary of our latest Lockdown photography theme, post-apocalypse, suggested by John Fox. If you’ve joined our Zoom meeting you will know what it is all about; alternatively, watch the YouTube video below:

 

Post-Apocalypse

The world as we know it has ended, society and the government have collapsed. Nothing will ever be the same again …

Create a picture or a series of images that depicts you or any people that are in lockdown with you as characters in a post-apocalyptic world. You can also create images that depict a post-apocalyptic world without any characters in it.

You can use any creative and editing tools, but the key is to work with what you have. Be inventive and creative, use any space or elements in and around your house to create a believable post-apocalyptic world or character(s). Go all out to make us believe that the apocalypse has come!

 

Inspiration

Find inspiration from DPC’s Pinterest account or watch movies in this genre, like The Matrix, The Book of Eli, I am Legend, or any of the Mad Max instalments. Just make sure that the movie you choose has a very strong visual style.

Apocalypse Pinterest Board: https://za.pinterest.com/DPCourses/apocalypse-theme/

 

Keywords that best describe a Post-Apocalyptic World

• Post-Apocalypse, Apocalyptic
• Steam Punk
• Wasteland
• Chernobyl
• Dystopian
• Zombie Invasion

 

Tips and Ideas

• Use what you have.
• Use telephoto lenses to hide elements that could tell this is not a post-apocalyptic world or shoot your character from below into a blue sky.
• Tur your house, garage, garden shed or car into a photography set.
• Use and convert any elements that will fit the theme as props.
• Improvise with what you have in your cupboards, or make your own garments.
• Use lots of makeup and paint.
• Use swimming pool pipes, or a Kreepy-Crawler.
• Smoke and mirrors.
• Grunge and textures
• Masks, sunglasses, welding glasses, hats, scarfs, bandages, boots, old uniforms, Coats, etc.
• Use your firearm, Paintball gun, hairdryer, knives, grinders, chains, chainsaws, axes as weapons.

 

Colour Tips

• Muted Colours, green and brown hues, desaturated skin-tones, cold shadows, or what about the desert tones used in Mad Max Fury Road?

 

Body Language, Expressions, Character Composition

• What emotions/characters do you want to portray?
• Sadists, invaders, tough survivors
• Aggression, fear
• A sexy Charlize Theron or Mel Gibson
• A family hiding from invaders
• A terrified little girl, holding a broken doll …
• Or a picture of an abandoned teddy bear in the corner …
• Apocalyptic lovers?
• Zombies
• Create visual tension through cramped spaces, cantered angles, lighting, etc.

 

Lighting Tips

• Eerie, muted, directional, chiaroscuro, silhouettes

 

Free Lightroom Presets

We are including a few DPC Lightroom Classic Presets that might help you create that apocalyptical feel. If you’re new to photography, simply apply a preset you fancy, then tweak the exposure, contrast, colours, and finish off with graduated and radial filters.

You can download the presets from DropBox, by following the link below:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/lmgmo3u91z5g9s1/AAANDIEBV-yI09UBbJf9aZaFa?dl=0

 

Terms and Deadline

• Condition: Stay at home (and create).
• This is a community project and only current and previous DPC Students can enter.
• Maximum of five (5) images can be uploaded. The judges will give more weight to pictures that form part of a story and that is consistent in look and feel.
• Images must be uploaded to our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/DPC77
• Deadline: Sunday, 19 April 2020.

 

Prize

The winner receives free entry to DPC’s Creative Photography Programme or any other DPC 2-Day Photography Workshop (except the Conceptual Portrait Workshop). The prize is non-refundable, non-exchangeable.

Our panel will discuss the top images and announce the winner on Wednesday, 22 April 2020 at 16:00 on Zoom.

 

Judges

• John Fox, Danie Bester, Pieter Uys, Andre Badenhorst